Morphed
Kitchens/Bath: By Eva Ditler Photography by Martin Mann
Morphed
A do-over propels a 1970s kitchen into the 21st century…
IF YOU LOOK AT DESIGNER SUZETTE OLEA’S KITCHEN redo for a Rancho Bernardo client, it’s as though you’re in some science-fiction novel’s time machine. You’ve warped your way into the future.
The kitchen’s footprint hasn’t changed. Appliances, cupboards, windows, sinks — nothing has moved. And yet you are in a drastically different space. It’s sleek. It’s fresh. It’s up-to-the-minute urban style.
“My client was on her way to Little Italy’s Farmers Market, saw our showroom and was immediately drawn by Mödul Studio’s designs,” says Olea. “Clean lines and a modern look was exactly what she wanted for her kitchen.”
The client chose a mixture of two collections: Programm, therm-ofoil cabinets with a textured, horizontal grain, and Lucida, high-gloss, solid-acrylic cabinets with seamless-edge door panels. The combination of glossy white with textured chocolate provides dynamic contrast and depth.
The style is minimal but there’s nothing pared down about the conveniences — surfaces are easily maintained, storage is abundant and features such as pullout spice racks and trash cans, plate and utensil dividers, slow-motion and self-closing doors and drawers, and high stainless-steel toe kicks all add up to a highly functional kitchen.
